piano from “someone like you” by adele | ToneDB
someone like you
adele
piano
80% ai confidence
Tone Profile
A clear, resonant, and emotionally dynamic grand piano sound, captured with minimal processing to emphasize its natural acoustic character and the performer's touch.
Signal Chain
Instrument: Yamaha C3 Grand Piano (or similar high-quality studio grand)
Amp: N/A
Microphone: Stereo Pair Condenser Microphones (e.g., Neumann U87 or AKG C414)
Processing: High-Quality Studio Preamp (e.g., Neve, API), Subtle EQ (Mixing Stage), Light Compression (Mixing Stage), Studio Reverb (e.g., Plate or Hall)
Other: Likely recorded in a well-treated studio room (Harmony Studios). Standard stereo miking technique (e.g., spaced pair over strings/hammers).
Recording Notes
- Performed by pianist Neil Cowley.
- Recorded at Harmony Studios, West Hollywood, CA.
- Produced by Dan Wilson and Adele.
- Mixed by Tom Elmhirst.
- Focus on capturing a natural, unadorned piano tone.
- The dynamic range of the performance is crucial to the emotional impact.
- Minimalist arrangement highlights the piano's role.
Recreation Tips
- Use a high-quality sampled grand piano VST (e.g., Keyscape, Ivory II, Native Instruments Noire).
- Select a preset with a clear, bright, yet full-bodied tone.
- Pay close attention to velocity sensitivity to replicate the expressive dynamics.
- Use the sustain pedal effectively for legato phrasing and resonance.
- Apply a high-quality reverb plugin (hall or plate) with a decay of around 2-3 seconds, mixed subtly.
- Use minimal or no compression on the virtual instrument track itself.
- Consider subtle EQ adjustments: potentially a small cut in the low-mids (~250Hz) if muddy, and a slight boost in the highs (~5-8kHz) for clarity if needed.
Recommended Gear
- Yamaha C3 Grand Piano(instrument)
- Neumann U87(mic)
- AKG C414(mic)
- Neve 1073(preamp)
- Spectrasonics Keyscape(Software Instrument)
- Valhalla VintageVerb(plugin)
- Native Instruments Noire(Software Instrument)